


Unlocking Torchwood

by JadelynTate



Series: Unlocking Dawn [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-17 14:13:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1390744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadelynTate/pseuds/JadelynTate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dawn should know better than to watch a marathon with Andrew on a Monday night...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Trouble with Tuesdays

“She looks human.”

“She looks hot.”

“If you think back, some of the most dangerous aliens we've met have been...”

“Please don't finish that thought, sir.”

“Aw, ruin all my fun.”

Dawn blinked from where she was laying on her stomach. That had been one wild ride and she'd rather not do it again. Then the voices and the conversation hit her and she looked up, eyes widening when her gaze fell on the group of people watching her a few feet away. “Oh, you've got to be kidding me!”

“Hi,” the lead man said, smiling. “Since we haven't been talking to you, I'm not sure we can be kidding you.”

The group behind all had either amused or exasperated expressions at the man's words. She swallowed.

“This'll teach me to watch light night marathons with Andrew when I should be doing homework,” she muttered and the man's grin widened. She reached for her arm, noting the group tensing as she did so. “Time to wake up.” 

The pinching did nothing. Frowning, she tried again but besides getting an irritating red mark on her arm, she was still there. Still staring at the Torchwood crew. Still, apparently, in a TV show that she'd only watched for the sex, kissing, hot guys, and the Spike-alike Andrew promised her. “Oh, that's not good,” she whimpered.

“Mind giving us a name?” he asked, squatting down next to where she was still lying on the ground. “Cause, somehow, I don't think you're one of our run of the mill strays.”

“Is it Tuesday?” she asked instead. His lips quirked at the question.

“Yes, actually, why?”

She responded by hitting her head repeatedly on the concrete below her. 

She was going to kill Andrew.


	2. Past Tuesdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn explains why she hates Tuesdays.

The Torchwood crew had dragged her to the Hub, as their leader, Captain Jack Harkness himself, insisted she was not a normal stray. Dawn should have been irritated about being called such but she couldn't bring herself to care. She was in _Torchwood_ for christsake! How the hell had that happened?!

“So, what's Tuesday got to do with anything?” Jack asked, sitting across from her. They were in the main room of the Hub, each of the team watching her carefully. She should be relieved, at least, that they hadn't put her in next to Janet but, again, she was too distracted trying to figure out how she'd ended up here in the first place.

She sighed. “I always end up in trouble on Tuesdays,” she explained and no, she was _not_ whining, no matter what his smirk suggested. “It's this big ole thing.” 

“What kind of trouble?”

“The last time it was a kidnapping,” she answered, resigned. “Apparently, the intestines of blue eyed young ladies is a delicacy in certain parts.”

More than one person blanched at that and she winced, wondering if they'd dealt with the cannibals yet. Jack tilted his head at her. “And the time before that?”

“Got knocked unconscious trying to help Andrew train for his final,” she answered and because she had a feeling this was going to continue... “The time before that was a minor uprising where they decided they wanted my sisters blood for something, I didn't ask what, but because they weren't stupid, they went for me 'cause they knew they'd be killed if they went after her. Granted, they still ended dead because going after me was actually stupider considering all the protection my sister insists I have because, of course, of all the Tuesday disasters.”

“And before that?” Jack asked, curious, and not at all put off by her babble. She turned sheepish; she'd been hoping he'd be distracted by the Buffy angle cause really? She did not want to admit this.

“Um...can we skip over that one?”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

She gave her best kicked-puppy look.

He smirked but held firm, thus becoming the first person ever to withstand the Dawn-stare, as Xander called it. 

“I was turned into a poodle.”

She sighed when they all burst out laughing. _Well,_ she thought. _At least I didn't give in and tell them about turning into a centaur._


	3. Languages & Myfanwy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _“This”_ is speaking in another language.

“She's completely human,” Owen announced. Dawn was sitting on one of the stools, swinging her legs back and forth and eying the ceiling. She wanted to meet Myfanwy because, really? How many chances was she going to get to meet a living pteradactyl?

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” she snarked, glancing at the doctor. He'd insisted on taking a sample of her DNA, to test. She'd refused him blood but offered a mouth swab. He'd complained but ultimately took what he could get, especially since Jack had commented that it was better than what the aliens usually offered.

“I'm the Captain, he's the doctor,” Jack pointed out. She stuck her tongue out at him; he was a fictional character, she didn't have to be polite. Jack, however, seemed to find it amusing as all he did was smirk at her. He did that a lot, she noticed.

 _“Why do I put up with his flirting?”_ she heard Ianto ask, his muttered words in Welsh and obviously not meant to be heard and/or understood by anyone. She glanced at Jack and then back at Ianto.

 _“Because he's hot and I'm sure he's a good kisser,”_ she told him in the same language. More than one person looked surprised at her use of Welsh. Ianto turned red and Gwen looked confused. _“That, and I think you're a masochist. But don't worry, I don't go for the older guys, that's my sisters schtick.”_

“You speak Welsh?” Gwen asked, a smile playing on her lips. Dawn nodded, mentally telling herself that either Gwen wasn't aware of the sex or it hadn't happened yet. Considering she was fairly certain it started after the whole thing with Lisa, that was worrisome. She hated not knowing where in the time-line she was.

“Uh huh.”

“An American who speaks Welsh,” Owen repeated dubiously. She rolled her eyes.

 _“I also speak fourteen other languages, what's your point?”_ she told him in Japanese. Tosh and Ianto both started. She switched back to Welsh, glancing at Jack. _“Not all American's don't understand the power behind a good strong national language.”_

Ianto and Gwen both smiled at that. Jack frowned. “Did she just insult me?”

“No,” they chorused before the two women fell into giggles. Jack did not look convinced and he stared at Ianto.

“All she said was that Welsh was a good strong language,” he answered the unspoken question, his expression innocent.

“I know I recognized American,” Jack insisted.

“What am I, chopped liver?” Dawn asked as she suddenly heard flapping. Looking up, she finally saw the pterodactyl. “Oooh.”

“That's Myfanwy,” Gwen told her.

“A goddess-like name for a goddess-like creature,” she crooned. The flying reptile flew down to perch on the table next to her. It tilted its head at her. She tilted hers back. It butted at the pocket she knew had her last Snickers bar. She pulled it out. “You want?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Torchwood crew staring at her incredulously. She resisted the urge to sigh. It wasn't her fault she turned out to have a knack for handling otherworldly creatures. Willow thought it was the Keyness, making it so she seemed familiar to _everything_ no matter their native dimension. Xander thought it was because she'd been a centaur at one point. Myfanwy nudged her again. Dawn held the candy bar up. “Let me pet you, and I'll hand it over.”

It crooned, there really was no other word for it, and pushed its head under her hand. Laughing, Dawn unwrapped the bar with one hand while petting the pterodactyl with the other. Finished, she broke it in half and handed one of them to the creature, keeping the other in reserve. She laughed when Myfanwy nudged at her. “Alright, alright,” she said and handed the chocolate over. She rubbed the creatures head. “You are most definitely a girl.” 

Myfanwy let out a screech and flew up and away, back to its nest at the ceiling. She smiled and turned back to the Torchwood crew, who were all still staring. She blinked.

“What?”


	4. Immortals

“So,” she smiled at Jack. “How we gonna get me home?”

“Where's your home?”

“Another dimension,” she answered promptly. “Where none of this exists.”

“You seem pretty accepting of this for someone who claims it doesn't exist,” Owen noted. She rolled her eyes at him. 

“'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,'” she quoted. “Just because none of this exists where I'm from doesn't mean my life's not weird.”

“Kidnapping.”

“Poodles,” Gwen and Tosh said at the same time.

“Myfanwy,” Ianto added. He seemed slightly disgruntled at how easily she got along with the flying reptile. He paused. “And she's immune to Jack's...charms.”

The man in question pouted at that. Dawn leaned over and patted his cheek.

“Sorry, I'm just not into guys with a bicentennial, no matter how gorgeous they look,” she explained. He blinked at her. She nodded at the Welshman. “If I'm gonna go for anyone, it'd be the one with the nummy accent.”

Everyone looked at Ianto, who seemed startled. Then her words fully registered and Jack's head snapped back to her. She smirked knowingly. “Oh, didn't I mention? Immortal? Not unusual in my world. Most of them are evil though,” she told him. She paused and then added wryly. “And usually trying to get in my sisters pants.”

Gwen and Tosh both snickered. “That sounds like Jack,” the former said. She paused. “Minus the evil part.”

“Okay, well, not all of them were evil,” she conceded when Jack opened his mouth to say something, she wasn't sure what. “Spike may have been a Big Bad but he was also a big softy, you just weren't allowed to mention it or he'd get all growly on you. And Angel wasn't bad, he just brooded worse than Batman. He also thought leaving my mortal sister for her own good was a good idea which led to Parker and one-night stands that resulted in Buffy drinking the Bad Beer and going cavewoman and hitting him with a tree branch and...yeah. And the last one I really dealt with called himself The Immortal and he tried killing me after having sex with my sister for six months so I may sorta kinda be a little biased.”

The Hub was silent for a few minutes. Dawn wondered, yet again, where in the time-line she was. They obviously knew Jack couldn't die...and they no longer seemed worried that she was a threat, despite her knowing things she probably shouldn't. Another point to the monks for the spell that made her seem cute and innocent and completely harmless.

“Did you breath through that?” Owen finally demanded. She beamed at him.

“Nope!” she chirped. “I was taught Babble by the Master of Babble. I can go ten minutes straight with barely any breaths, we timed it!”

“How long can this...Master of Babble go?” Tosh asked, honestly curious, as Jack and Ianto exchanged barely hidden looks.

“We once timed her at forty-five minutes before Spike got fed up and threw water on her,” Dawn smirked, guessing the two men had already had already had fun with the stopwatch. “And that was without coffee.”

“What's she like with coffee?” Tosh asked hesitantly. Dawn studied her.

“Have you ever seen a squirrel on crack?”

“No.”

“I have,” Jack said. Dawn's lips twitched at the looks his teammates shot him.

“Well, you'd know what it'd be like if you saw Willow with coffee,” she promised Tosh, who grimaced.

“We've never been able to get people back through the Rift with any accuracy,” Jack said suddenly, looking at her with something akin to pity. She eyed him a minute.

“A friend of mine, Suzie, once told me that just because it hasn't been done, doesn't mean its impossible,” she said and watched their reactions carefully. She nodded mentally to herself. They'd dealt with Suzie and the Gauntlet, of that she was almost positive. So, about halfway through the first season? Maybe?

“And what, you think you'll be the first to successfully do it?” Owen scoffed.

“Yes,” she said simply. “Because I have something they don't have.”

“And what would that be?” Owen demanded. She quirked a smile before glancing at Jack.

“Someone who knows the score on the other side.”


	5. The Key to Inter-dimensional Travel

The energy of Dawn's displacement was unusual, colored by an energy they couldn't identify but was similar to the Rift; half siblings, was how Tosh described the relationship. A scan later and Tosh noted it seemed to be seeped into the very core of Dawn. The brunette scowled. This was just what she needed!

“And of course this is because of the stupid Key!” she yelled. She got up and began pacing, ignoring the confusion and renewed wariness of the Torchwood gang. “It doesn't matter what I do, the stupid Key keeps coming back and getting me in trouble! If the idiots aren't going after me cause of Buffy, they want my oh so powerful blood! And its not supposed to be useful or powerful anymore!” She stopped and looked up at the ceiling. “Make up your damn mind!”

“Dawn?” Jack asked, the voice of calm.

“What?” she snapped, breathing hard.

“Who are you yelling at?”

“Beings who probably can't hear me given I'm at least one dimension away.”

“And why are you yelling at them?”

“Because my blood is apparently really precious only its not supposed to be,” she answered, scowling. She glared up at the ceiling again. “Wasn't nearly getting gutted once enough for you?!”

“Gutted?” Owen asked, his focus on her sharpening to her stomach. Then, of course, all of them were more tense as they stared at her, so she couldn't blame the man's staring.

“Glory wanted to go home, thought I was her ticket. Her minion cut me up. I was fourteen. My sister died trying to save me. I don't like talking about it.”

Which was the understatement of the fucking century but they're lives were messed up as it was—they didn't need her drama.

“Didn't you mention your sister was alive?” Gwen asked, biting her lip. Dawn deflated.

“CPR brought her back the first time, Willow and Xander screwed around and brought her back the second time after six months, and Willow got pissed and brought her back the third time after Warren shot her in the heart. Which I still don't get,” she shook her head, frowning, as Jack look startled at the amount of times Buffy had died. “Why bring my sister back and then turn around and try to destroy the world? It makes no sense, especially from a logistics standpoint. Seriously, if you're going to destroy the world, it'd be safer just to let the worlds greatest champion die on the ER table.”

Only Jack didn't look disturbed about the way her mind had side-tracked.

“Wasn't Willow the person you said would be looking for you?” he asked, head cocked to the side. She nodded; she'd already explained that her disappearance would be noted and when Willow couldn't get a handle on the locator beacon imbedded in her hip, they'd freak and interrogate Andrew. 

She was fairly certain she was here because Andrew thought it'd be funny to have a Torchwood marathon while staying in her own dimensions Cardiff, at the brand-spanking new Slayer School just outside of it. How exactly it happened she wasn't sure, but she figured it just wasn't a coincidence, since she didn't believe in them. Maybe the Key energies clashed with the Rift? The last conscious thing she remembered was walking around the Millennium Center and wondering if she would ever get the chance to watch the show be filmed. 

She focused on Jack when he frowned at her. “You're trusting someone who tried destroying the world to come get you?” he asked skeptically.

“Have you ever had a lover die in your arms?” she asked bluntly and his expression tightened. “Warren didn't just shoot Buffy that day—he killed Tara. And Willow didn't end up with just her own grief—she tapped into everyone's on the planet. It drove her mad.”

“Dealing with your own is hard enough,” Ianto noted, his voice tired. She gave him a sympathetic smile.

“How'd she get past it?” That was Tosh, asked so very softly. Dawn smiled slightly, calming down. She'd long ago put this to rest—it was one of the first things she'd forgiven and been forgiven for after the Scoobies finally sat down to talk after Sunnydale.

“Her best friend since childhood,” she said. “He told her if she was going to destroy the world, she would have to start with him. She couldn't. Cliché, but his love for her saved everyone else.”

Gwen and Tosh seemed pleased and goo-y at the idea, just like so many of the mini-slayers when they heard the story. Owen seemed extremely skeptical but Ianto and Jack both had thoughtful looks.

“So she'll be looking for you?” Jack asked and Dawn nodded. “And she knows about the Rift?”

“I...do not know,” she admitted, frowning. She perked up. “But she'll interrogate Andrew about what we were doing and will connect the dots eventually. It is Tuesday, after all.”


	6. Timelines

The rest of the team were sent home, night having fallen. Only Ianto and Jack remained in the Hub with Dawn and she wondered, absently, where she was going to sleep. As yummy as watching the two obviously distracted men would be, she somehow doubted Ianto would be happy about it. Jack, she suspected, wouldn't care. 

“So, I have a question,” Dawn said, when Ianto was out of earshot. Jack looked at her.

“Yes, I am the sexiest man to ever live,” he answered cheerfully and loud enough for Ianto, who was making some tea upstairs, to hear. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

“Please,” she waved a hand, voice loud enough to carry. “I told you before, you don't got the nummy accent. That makes you second sexiest.”

Jack pouted and a quick glance upstairs found Ianto staring at the stove with an amused look on his face. She turned back to Jack, who was smiling in a knowing way.

“Anyway,” she lowered her voice again. “I know certain...things...about this timeline. I need to know where I am, so I don't give anything away.”

And just like that, Jack's entire demeanor shifted, as she'd known it would. This was why she'd waited until it was just them; if anyone understood her position, it was him.

“What do you know?”

“Gwen,” she said and Jack's expression tightened. “How long has she been here?”

He answered and she considered her next question. She had to be very, very careful. She didn't like it, because she knew people would die, but this was another dimension—it wasn't hers to interfere with. Besides, she could unknowingly make things worse and Andrew would never forgive her. He might drive her up the wall but she liked the little nerd—he'd slowly grown into the brother she'd always secretly wanted (though this was not something she was EVER telling her sister--Buffy still didn't think much of Andrew, as far as anyone could tell). Point was, at the end of the day, she couldn't mess up one of his favorite TV shows.

“How long has Suzie been dead?” she finally asked, taking a gamble. Jack was a smart man, he'd know Gwen's time here and Suzie's first death were the same.

“She just died again,” he answered in a knowing tone. Dawn nodded, more to herself than anyone else.

“Does the name Eugene mean anything to you?”

“No,” he answered after a pause. “Why?”

She made a face; that answered that question. “Show doubt but don't actually, you know, doubt,” she said simply. He frowned but nodded as she considered the fact she now had a greater appreciation for the vagueness of the PTB's messengers; knowing and not telling really sucked. Buffy was going to kill her.

“I think I'm going to go to sleep,” she said, faking a yawn when Ianto came back. She gave them a small smile. “Anyplace that's soundproof would be awesome.”

Ianto flushed and Jack grinned. “You could come watch,” he offered, winking. She blushed but couldn't fight the smile. 

“As hot as that may be,” she drawled and the captain's grin widened. “I really do want to actually sleep. My dissertation's nearly finished so I haven't been getting a whole lot. Ianto? Show me someplace? Please?”

“Certainly,” Ianto said and she wondered if Jack heard the sheer relief in the man's voice at her turning down his proposal. He motioned for her to follow him.

“So, why doesn't he use one of these rooms?” she asked, poking in the tiny little cubicle guest room he'd shown her to. She smiled wickedly. “It would make your late nights so much easier.”

Ianto flushed again, just as he'd been starting to get his color back. “You, uh....”

She smiled at him. “Yes,” she said and because she was a romantic sucker, her voice turned soothing. “He'll tell you. Eventually. It'll take time and a LOT of mental arguing with himself. He's just...he can't die, Ianto. That effects everything.”

The other man was stock still for several minutes as Dawn pulled down the blankets and debated on if she was going to sleep in her jeans and blouse. It'd be incredibly uncomfortable but she didn't want to be in her panties and bra if something happened.

“He's immortal,” Ianto said, an odd lilt in his voice. She nodded, though she was frowning. He'd already known that, so why... “I'm not. He...”

She smiled and turned back to her bed. “Goodnight, Ianto.”

He quietly shut the door on his way out.


	7. Visitors

Dawn fell out of bed at the pounding on the door to the room Ianto had shown her before. She looked at her watch, still on her wrist. It was morning. Wrapping herself in the sheets, she walked over and yanked the door open. Owen gave her a quick once over, lips quirking at her state of undress. She rolled her eyes and looked at Tosh, who was at his side. Specifically, she looked at the pile of clothes and toiletries in the woman's hands.

“You,” she said, snatching the pile, “are a godsend.”

Tosh gave her a shy smile. Owen went to open his mouth but Dawn kicked him. “I'm gonna shower and change. I'll be up in a minute, barring me getting lost. No leering from the peanut gallery.”

She closed the door on Owen's gaping mouth and Tosh' amused and somewhat pleased expression. The computer whiz had actually brought two outfits and Dawn made a mental note to get something nice for her before she left. A quick shower and she changed into the jeans and dark blue blouse that showed off just enough cleavage to be sexy and still work appropriate. Her legs were long so jeans were always dicey on whether they'd correctly fit her body; though a bit tight in the hips, the pair Tosh had brought were long enough for her to be comfortable. There wasn't much she could do without hair products or make up so she pulled her long locks into a high ponytail and headed upstairs.

She got slightly lost but Myfanwy's screeching ended up acting like a homing beacon; she followed the sounds until she found herself back in the center Hub. Owen leered at her when she appeared but she ignored him in favor of going over to hug Tosh. 

_“Thank you,”_ she said in Japanese. She slid a glance at Owen before focusing back on Tosh. _“I got lost but found my way.”_

Tosh smile widened when she saw the way Owen scowled. Given he didn't know Japanese, he didn't know what she'd said; the glance, however, indicated it was about him. Dawn hid a smirk at the way Tosh's eyes lit up at the little game. _“How did you get back here?”_ the woman asked quietly in the same language.

 _“I played Marco Polo with Myfanwy,”_ she joked and the two women laughed. Ianto, overhearing her, chuckled as he passed. This, of course, did not please Owen who stomped back into the medical area.

“Now, now, children,” Jack drawled as he came over. “Do I need to make a mandatory speak English rule?”

“What's the fun in that?” Dawn asked and Jack smirked. Before he could respond, Tosh' computers blared to life and everyone turned to it. 

“It has residual amounts of the same type of Rift energy as Dawn,” Tosh said, fingers flying. “Forming...”

“In the Hub,” Jack finished and the two woman turned to find him staring at a opening portal just in front of the Rift column thingy. Even as she stepped forward, Dawn saw Jack's hand twitch at the gun at his side.

“Dawnie? You there? Willow, I'm not sure it's working!” 

“Yes it is, stop panicking.”

“Vi? Cassie?” Dawn asked, stepping closer. Just through it, she could see Willow sitting cross-legged in front of an orb, eyes closed. The redheaded slayer snapped her head back to the portal as the blonde grinned. Molly popped into view and Dawn smirked. Trust those three to be the one to call Willow.

“You are a naughty one, Miss Summers,” Cassie scolded with a twinkle in her eye. “How'd you end up there?”

“It's Tuesday,” Dawn shrugged. She paused. “Or, it was.”

“Of course it was,” Molly smirked. “Well, come on then; Lyri has been going nuts since you disappeared and I'd rather not be the one to have to tell Buffy you went missing for an entire day and we didn't tell her. I like my head firmly attached, thanks.”

Behind her, she could practically _hear_ the Torchwood group's surprise at the London accent.

“It won't work,” Cassie said suddenly. “Dawn, you're gonna have to breach it on your side. Its one sided for travel.”

“So, what, we can go through to her but she can't come here?” Vi asked, sounding panicked.

“Dawn can open it and come back on her side, using her blood,” Cassie shrugged and then rolled her eyes when Vi looked between the portal, Willow, and something behind her. Dawn's eyes widened when she saw the resolve settle over the redheads face.

“Vi!” she shouted but it was too late, the redhead had already rushed forward and dived into the portal. There was a flash of light and then Vi was rolling across the floor to stop at Dawn's feet. Through the portal, Cassie said something to Willow, who, though her eyes were still closed, smirked. Another flash of light and she and the brunette slayer appeared in the Hub, arms out as if getting their bearings. 

“Give me until tonight, Dawnie,” Willow said as a crack that sounded suspiciously like a door hitting a wall came through the portal. “I'll have my energy back up then, can help stabilize it and anchor you.”

“Kay,” Dawn sighed, resigned, and the portal winked out of existence. Dawn looked down at Vi, still at her feet in a daze. “Do I want to know?”

“Lyri was coming,” Vi shrugged, getting to her feet. She shook her head. “That was a rush.”

“And you two?” Dawn asked, hands going to her hips as she looked at her best friends. Molly was eying Owen with a delighted smile. Cassie's eyes were slightly glazed as she looked around. “Cass?”

The blonde gaze stopped on Jack and Ianto, standing near one another. Her lips twitched as her eyes cleared. She turned to Dawn, her voice fond. “You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?”

“I didn't do anything!” Dawn exclaimed. Vi and Molly both snorted and she pouted.

“'He'll tell you. Eventually. It'll take time and a LOT of mental arguing with himself.'” Cassie parroted and Dawn's eyes widened as Ianto stiffened. The blonde smirked. “And you wonder why we don't let you out on Tuesdays. Andrew's going to lock you in the closet when we get back.”


	8. Revelations

“So, they're your sisters?”

“In every way but blood, yeah,” Dawn confirmed. Ianto was trying to avoid Cassie like the plague. Trying was the operative word, however, as the blonde kept following him, knowing where he was going before he went. Vi and Molly were sitting on the couch, talking with Gwen and Tosh as Dawn sat in interrogation with Jack. Owen was avoiding the three new women but that was because Vi had put him in a headlock when he tried looking at a scratch she'd gotten rolling along the floor. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd asked instead of just lunging forward for a peek. Slayers and doctors did not get along.

“Why'd they come through?” he asked and Dawn looked at him.

“Lyri considers me something of a...well, lets just say my sister doesn't usually have to worry with Lyri around,” she sighed. “She's threatened to rip heads off if someone hurt me. Vi, Molls, and Cassie came to back me up and make sure I get home because we don't trust Lyri not to come herself. And trust me when I say that'd be bad.”

Jack was quiet a moment. “You have very weird friends,” he finally said. She smirked.

“This coming the man shaggging his coffee god and who has a pterodactyl as a pet,” she shot back.

“Why is Ianto avoiding the blonde?” Jack asked, as if he'd been waiting for an opening. She had the good grace to look sheepish. 

“That's uh, I may have made a comment to him that he needed to hear,” she admitted and he raised an eyebrow at her. “And Cas...she can see things. The future. Apparently, I may have accidentally changed one or two things by saying what I did.”

Cassie and Molly weren't theirs—they were from an alternate reality, one where Cassie never had her heart defect and Molly wasn't murdered by Caleb. They ended up in a demonic war when The First succeeded in opening the Hellmouth completely, wiping out half the Scoobies and potentials in one swipe. Molly had been called when Faith died. Their presence, according to Whistler, wouldn't endanger the balance so they'd been allowed to remain. The two girls had never said who'd sent them but Dawn suspected she now knew. 

“You don't seem concerned about changing it,” Jack observed, face suddenly impassive. She shrugged.

“Cassie wouldn't have joked about it if it was a bad change,” she explained and Jack brightened. 

“So they're your bodyguards?” he asked after a moment of happy contemplation. She nodded, sighing. He smirked. “You really do have bad luck on Tuesdays, don't you?”

“As if this wasn't proof enough!” she groaned. “This would only happen to me, I swear.”

“Swearing is bad,” Cassie deadpanned from the doorway, apparently deciding to give up on following Ianto everywhere.

“Only if its not in bed,” Jack came back swiftly. Outside on the couch, Vi and Molly cracked up laughing. Cassie raised an eyebrow.

“My god, he's a male Faith,” she said and Dawn snorted.

“Worse, actually,” she said. “He's omnisexual.”

Cassie made a face. “Faith as an omnisexual.” They considered it. “That's a scary thought.” 

She and Dawn both shuddered as, once again, the two slayers started laughing in the central Hub. Jack leaned back, hands behind his head.

“I think I'd like to meet this Faith,” he said and the two young women exchanged looks. 

“If we can't get home, you just might,” Dawn said. “Cause if I know my sister, she'll come through with an entire platoon of people.”

“And Andrew,” Cassie added. “He'll insist on coming with.” Dawn shuddered at the idea of Andrew meeting this group. If he didn't pass out first, they'd never get him to shut up.

“Isn't Andrew the one you blamed for this to begin with?” Jack asked. “I remember you threatening to kill him as you hit your head on the concrete outside.”

Cassie stood up, gave Dawn a look, and left, locking the door behind her. Dawn stared after her a moment before looking at Jack. She'd been debating telling Jack and Cassie's actions just confirmed it wouldn't effect as much as she'd thought.

“Andrew's the one who talked me into watching the TV show,” she explained, knowing only Vi and Molly would be able to hear her through the walls. Jack frowned.

“TV show?” he asked. She smiled wryly.

“It airs on the BBC,” she told him. “It's called Torchwood.”


	9. Goodbyes

To say Jack was having a hard time accepting all this (including the Doctor, _cannot_ forget the Doctor considering he'd in Dawn's words, "freaked at her" about him) were TV shows in Dawn's dimension was an understatement. In the end, he apparently decided it was one thing he could safely ignore and pretend he never heard because otherwise he kept getting a headache. The four women found this funny but ultimately didn't say anything to him about it. 

He had a living pterodactyl as a pet and TV shows confused him? Dawn would have asked what planet he was from but considering how literal the question would be...

“So, you have everything?” Jack asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He was still wary about what she said she was going to do—she suspected he thought it wasn't going to work—but he was curious at how she planned to open a portal in the Rift. She nodded, eying the group. Owen claimed he was there for when it failed and they got hurt. Gwen and Tosh wanted to say goodbye, and Ianto...she smiled.

“I have everything, thanks to the Nummy,” she bobbed her head. Ianto blushed and Jack grinned. Owen rolled his eyes as the two women smiled.

“So, we ready?” Cassie asked, giving Dawn a look. “They're about to have some fun of the ghost kind and we need to leave before it happens.”

Ignoring the confusion on everyone but Jack's faces, Dawn nodded swiftly. She heard Vi marking the back line, warning them not to pass it for anything. Dawn turned and gave the two women hugs, tighter for Tosh than for Gwen. She recalled suddenly Tosh's fate and winced. Hoping they would think the sudden shine of tears were because she was leaving, she turned and gave a surprised Owen the same treatment. He might have been a jerk but he was a fun jerk and really didn't deserve his fate anymore than Tosh did. Knowing Jack was looking at her suspiciously, she leaned up and gave Ianto a swift kiss on the cheek. He made a face at her and she grinned. A quick glance and Ianto, who seemed to read the question on her face, gave a tiny, exasperated, nod. Brightening, she turned to Jack and kissed him smack dab on the lips. 

Though surprised at first, he quickly got into it, nibbling her lips and a hand tangling into her hair as she opened to allow him in. It was only Molly's not so subtle cough that broke them apart. She gave the amused looking Ianto a sheepish look before smirking.

 _“Yup,”_ she told him in Welsh. _“Really good kisser.”_

He rolled his eyes and she turned back to an bemused Jack. “Thanks for helping me,” she told him, switching back to English. “And you know, not locking me in next to Janet.”

“I considered it,” he told her seriously, the twinkle in his eye her only indication that he was half kidding. She smirked and walked back to her sisters. 

“Vi?” she asked and the redhead pulled out a small knife from her boot. Waving happily at the Torchwood crew, she took the knife and made a quick, efficient cut on her palm. Ignoring the reactions of the group behind her, she watched the blood drip down as she concentrated on where she wanted to go. Cassie had told her what to do, having already seen it, and claiming it would be instinctual. 

Having a seer as one of your best friends was really handy on occasion. 

The portal slowly opened up in front of them, helped by Willow once it actually breached the dimensional walls. Dawn winced; Buffy was there and she did not look happy. Dawn looked behind her and waved again.

“See ya!” she chirped and the four women stepped through the portal together. A flash of light and they were back in the council library. Dawn looked behind her but the portal was gone and with it, her new friends. She bit back a sigh as Buffy came over. Instead of ranting like she'd been expecting, Buffy studied her a moment and then hugged her.

Later, when she asked about the understanding, Buffy just smiled bittersweet.

“Andrew had us all watch the show so we'd know what you'd gotten yourself into,” she explained. Sighing, Dawn laid her head on Buffy's shoulder. The older woman lightly kissed her hair. “I liked them too. Made my life seem not so sucky. And I could totally take a weevil.”

**~~~*~~~**

Jack had never been a television fan but after the girls left, he'd found himself curious. If her claim about this all being a show in her dimension was true, he had to wonder if there were other dimensions where his own shows were reality. None of the Torchwood agents watched much TV, he knew, because they simply didn't have the time. Ianto, the only one who knew what Dawn had told him in private, thought he was being rather silly. The Coffee God thought Dawn had been pulling Jack's leg. But after everything they'd seen and given all she'd known he couldn't help but wonder...

“Sir, I have the weekly report on the Rift activity for you,” Ianto said, coming inside. He spared the TV Jack had bought a distasteful look and then shook his head. Jack continued surfing as Ianto rattled off the statistics as he usually did. Jack paused suddenly and then pushed the back button. Ianto, realizing Jack's attention was not even remotely on him anymore, turned to the television, fully intending to make a scathing comment. He froze.

On the screen, a young blonde woman, the same one they'd seen through the Rift though younger, was fighting beings that crumpled into dust as she killed them. In the background, chained, was a very young Dawn, about fourteen if the two men had to guess. As all the minions fell or ran away, the blonde turned to the young girl.

 **“You are going to be in so much trouble when we get home!”** she said, picking up an axe and swinging at the chains.

 **“Yeah, well, I'm telling Mom you slayed in front of me,”** Dawn retorted.

 **“Fine!”** the blonde said. **“I'll just tell her that you ran out of the house in the middle of the night! That you got Anya hurt! Invited a vampire in! Got kidnapped! ...”**


	10. Epilogue: Inter-Dimensional Mail

Jack smiled as he picked up the DVD's Ianto had bought and deposited in Jack's office the day after they saw the television show for the first time. The team had been stunned when they'd seen them and when Jack had revealed what Dawn had told him. They'd slowly been going through the series, starting with the first season even though Tosh, who'd researched, told them Dawn didn't appear until the fifth and the other three until the seventh. Though it was a huge show in the states, it wasn't as well known across the pond, especially in Cardiff where enough weird things happened that the locals didn't need to watch it on the telly. At least, that was Gwen's opinion on why they hadn't recognized Dawn before.

The series had clarified a lot of things that the brunette had said and mentioned without going into (as well as startling Jack when he saw Spike; the vampire looked and acted alarmingly like his old partner, if John had dyed his hair platinum blonde). They'd just finished season five and both Tosh and Gwen had cried when Buffy sacrificed herself. Jack had felt choked up but hadn't shown anyone. Dawn had rather grown on him in her two days there; she was just as big a smart ass as he was. They knew what would happen but it was different seeing it and knowing you'd met the real, grown up version of the teenage girl who'd nearly been killed. They had taken a week to deal before moving on; they had plans to watch the first episode of season six tonight if Rift activity allowed.

As if sensing his plans, a flash of light lit up his office. Blinking away the spots in his vision, he checked his computer. It was the same odd Rift energy, Key energy if he had to guess, that they'd gotten with Dawn's arrival but this time, he didn't see her anywhere. The office was empty of anyone save himself and Myfanwy as the other four had gone to get pizza and drinks. He pushed down the stab of disappointment; it'd been nearly a month since their visit, he shouldn't be surprise she hadn't come.

Sitting on his desk, however, was a box, wrapped in green paper with silver ribbons. On top was an envelope. Opening it, a picture of the four young women sitting on the steps of a castle fell onto his desk. In Dawn's hands was a DVD, with “Torchwood” across the top and the team clearly on the cover. Chuckling at her smug expression and wondering what she'd say if he was able to send her a picture of him with the Buffy DVD's, he pulled out the faded green stationary (somehow he had a feeling her response would be snarky and pointed at her sister). His smile faded as he read the letter.

_“Jack,  
I know I didn't give you much information about your future but there are a few things I want you to know because they bugged the hell out of me even before getting sent to you. And apparently there are different versions of your dimension so Cassie says this won't hurt the barriers or anything. She also claims it'll help so, you know, yay?_

_1) Ianto Jones is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Don't be an idiot._

_2) Gray isn't dead and he blames you. Keep an eye out, or Tosh and Owen will pay the price._

_3) Ianto Jones is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Don't be an idiot._

_4) You can have more than one soul-mate and they come in different varieties. Trust me. This does not mean, however, that you should shag anything that walks through the door._

_5) Ianto Jones is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Don't be an idiot._

_6) My sister said to tell you that she would do you any day of the week cause you're so yummy. Okay, yes, technically, she didn't say to tell you that and if she knew I'd repeated her drunken words she'd probably kill me but she recently was the cause of the destruction of my favorite pair of boots and she refused to replace them so I'm feeling slightly vindictive at the moment._

_7) Ianto Jones is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Don't be an idiot._

_8) The big thing, the major thing: The 456 will be back. Only they won't want twelve; this time, they'll want 10%. And they'll kill Ianto and anyone else who stands in their way to get what they want. Turn the tables on them but find a way to do so without sacrificing a child because you won't like who it ends up being. Your daughter will never forgive you._

_Now, I have to go and send this before Andrew realizes what I'm planning and tries locking me in a closet again. Apparently, he doesn't care that his favorite show will not change from this letter, just the reality its based upon. He's a purist. Go figure._

_Give Myfanwy some fish for me,  
Dawn_

_P.S. If you ever need help, Wills and I found a way of breaching the dimensional walls, safely using the Rift as a focal point and my own...abilities...as the power source. Just hold it in your hands, focus on the problem, and it'll summon me, Cassie, Vi, and Molly. It will only work once though so choose your time wisely. And if any of us end up there naked, we have no qualms in killing you. It may not stick but we'll make sure it hurts like hell.”_

Jack reread the letter five times, a chill going down his spine at the mention of his brother and the 456. Setting the first page aside, he grabbed the second, which was from Cassie and much more detailed than Dawn's had been, especially about the 456 and Gray issues. Unwrapping the box, he peered inside to find five orbs, each glowing a soft green through the sheer white fabric they were wrapped in. A ripped note was on top of a small box in the middle of the orbs.

_“I added four more because I've seen the show too and you might want more than one summoning orb. And if you haven't figured out the 456 thing by the time they come back, use the blue one in the smaller box to summon me. No one deserves what will happen and I'm of the firm opinion one of us should get our happily ever after. -Willow.”_

He stared at the small balls, so innocent looking and yet so incredibly powerful. A quick scan and he found the same type of energy Dawn was made of, only focused solely in the crystal. The energy in the blue orb was half Key, half something completely different. 

Closing the box, he stood up and put it on a shelf with other ICE items. He'd explain the orbs to the team when they came in to watch the show. For now, he had to get to work.

The problems they told him about wouldn't fix themselves.


End file.
